Managing Hives (urticaria) in Brick, NJ & Wall, NJ
When your body is allergic to something, your immune system has different reactions to these allergens. One common reaction are hives, also known as urticaria. Hives are red, itchy bumps that tend to appear and then disappear fairly quickly. Hives can be mild or extremely severe and painful and can be triggered by different allergens. There are issues that can worsen hives and it’s important to understand hives so that you can identify them and distinguish them from issues like bug bites or other rashes.
Types of Hives (urticaria)
There are two types of hives that you may deal with. These types are short-lived and long-term, also known as acute and chronic respectively. Neither is usually life-threatening, but it’s important to seek emergency care if there’s any swelling in the throat.
Chronic hives (urticaria) are hives that occur almost daily for more than six weeks. Each hive will usually last less than 24 hours and don’t leave any marks. There’s no identifiable trigger that tends to cause chronic hives and it’s important to see an allergist to find out the cause of your symptoms.
Acute hives tend to last a short amount of time and don’t tend to recur. There’s usually a direct trigger of acute hives.
Symptoms and Triggers of Hives (urticaria)
Hives tend to appear as raised, itchy bumps that can be red or skin-colored. Hives will also have blanching, which is when the center of a red hive turns white after being pressed.
There are many things that could trigger hives and it’s important to be able to identify your triggers. These could include:
- Foods
- Medications
- Insect stings or bites
- Pressure
- Cold
- Heat
- Sun exposure
- Exercise
- Latex
- Pet dander
- Pollen
Treating Hives (urticaria)
It’s important that you’re avoiding your triggers and talking with an allergist to fully diagnose hives and help you figure out how to manage your hives. Be sure to avoid scratching your hives and take baths to help reduce itching. Be sure to also wear clothes that are breathable and try to manage your body temperature.
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